Church expansion gets go-ahead

August 21, 2003|By Tim Kane.

CRYSTAL LAKE — Crystal Lake's oldest church won approval to expand.

The First Congregational Church, established in 1842 and moved to its location at 461 Pierson St. in 1867, raised money for the addition by selling the Dole Mansion property this spring for $1.5 million. The buyer was the Lakeside Legacy Foundation, a private group of homeowners.

Work on the church addition is to start Oct. 1, said Mark Elmore, a Crystal Lake architect. He said the addition would match the church's New England-style design and special care would be taken to preserve 136-year-old stained glass in the church.